Sinha emerges as BJP frontrunner to lead Jharkhand

New Delhi: Former federal minister Yashwant Sinha is tipped to become chief minister of Jharkhand in the event of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP-led) alliance's victory in the upcoming assembly elections.

It is, however, unlikely that the BJP will project a potential chief minister candidate at the very outset. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is being seen as a front runner to emerge victorious in the state.

The path for Sinha taking over as the chief minister was cleared yesterday with former chief minister Arjun Munda, who was elected to the Lok Sabha in May this year, declaring that he would not contest the assembly election or stake claim to the chief minister's post.

Munda served as Jharkhand chief minister twice. While he has been appointed chairman of the party's campaign committee, it has been made clear to him that he should not expect to become chief minister.

His inability to keep a vital group of independents in the state legislature together, which eventually led to the downfall of the NDA government in 2008, still weighs heavily against him.

Since Jharkhand has witnessed the formation of four governments in four years before central rule was imposed in January this year, the BJP feels having a high-profile leader with wide experience would serve it well.

Sinha served as the national finance minister and foreign minister between 1998-2004 when the NDA was in power at the national level and has the stature to herald a new beginning in the mineral-rich state which has been grappling with Maoist violence and corruption.

Sinha's discreet distance from the right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has also helped his cause should the NDA falls short of the majority.

His image as a moderate would reassure some smaller parties or independents to support his government.

Incidentally Sinha was elected to the Lok Sabha from his home constituency Hazaribagh this year.

He resigned as the national vice-president of the BJP after his demand to debate reasons for the BJP's rout in Lok Sabha elections was seen as an act of rebellion.

He has since mended fences with the central leadership of the BJP and has been spending considerable time in Jharkhand.